The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1887-10-22
A QUEER YARN.
Told by a Man With Vivid I'm
agination.
A Story Proving the Doctrine of TRANSMIT.
grafton "A Man Who Died and Whose
Spirit Entered the Body of II Rabbit.


my profession of detective. Some will
smile and some will sneer, but shall
have the consolation of knowing that
/ am honest and truthful in what 1
say.
One night fifteen years ago. while on
the street at late hour, was accosted
by stranger who asked for money
enough to pay for a lodging. Our in
structions were to arrest every beggar
and vagrant, and it was my duty to run
this man in He made no protest, and
had scarcely walked block with him
when found that my prisoner was a
man of more than ordinary intelligence.
That he was little off in his upper
story was plain enough after few
minutes conversation, but that he was
gentleman and scholar was also just
asplain. He was ragged and penniless.
and his hollow cheeks and glittering
eyes proved the presence of disease in
his system. Instead of taking him to
the station | conducted him to cheap
lodging-house and restaurant, and had
paid for meal and bed for him, and
was going away, when he laid hand
on my arm and whispered:
..If you can wait until have had a
bite to eat, can tell you great
secret
That caught me ut once. l hoped
for some revelation regarding an old
murder or robbery case, and could
hardly retain my impatience until he
had finished his meal. When l came
to see him with his hat off, knew that
he was a professional man, probably
doctor He had y high forehead, an
intelligent face, and would have been
fine looking if he had been in health.
He was a victim of consumption, and
it would have been safe to wager that
he would not live week. When he
had finished the meal he seemed i'm
bued with new life. 1t was warm
summer night, and at his request we
entered a public park and sat down on
one of the benches.
ITO begin WITH" he said, as we got
seated, my name is Richard Brinsly,
and have been a physician and sur
geon for the last thirty years. have
been out of practice for the last five
years, and, as to that. have also been
out Of home and money and friends.
spent my time digcsting medical
science and trying experiments, when
] should have been attending on my
patients, and as consequence people
soon got to know me for a crank, and
was driven out of practice. am
now speaking of four or five years ago.
Before began to dabble in theory or
experiment held up my head with the
best of them, and / never knew a
want.
| had frequently heard of the man.
At one time he stood among the high
est in the medical profession in st.
Louis. He had gone daft, people said,
on transmigration and other theories,
and his vagrant life and exposure had
induced the disease which was soon to
end his days. The great secret he was
to unfold was not connected with a
crime, as | had hoped for; but, never
theless, found myself feeling anxious
to hear what he had to tell. We got
settled down again, and he continued:
1.-The first idea of transmigration was
very repugnant to me- We have all
been led to believe that wher>a man
dies the soul ascends to Heaven to live
on, and with our own eyes we see the
body laid away in the ground. That
the soul of one dying should take pos
session of bird, beast or reptile, in
stead of returning to its Creator, is
against sentiment and reason, but still
some Of our wisest and best men so be-
lieve. As | said, the theory was re-
pugnant to me. l argued fiercely in
opposition to it, and at one time felt
that nothing on earth could bring me
over to ADOPT it. You see. among my
best friends were number of believ-
.ers. and one night | was called to the
bedside of sne Of them, who had beer
lnortally wounded by the accidental
discharge Of revolver. 1t was plan
from the frat that nothing could bt
done for hins He suffered but little
pain, and was in his senses to the very
last He knew that he had got to 60
and in his very dying hour he said te
me:
Richard, believe more firmly
than ever in the theory OF transmigra
ton. Whether shall take the form
Of bird or beast after death lido not
know, but II it is within the bounds Of
possibility will approach you in what
ever form it is. and you shall know
me. Remember, Richard, you shall
know me-
'.Ilc spoke WITH such earnestness
and under such circumstances tina
was deeply affected, and for tn
first time began 10 believe Their
might be something in the theory. H
died within half an hour Of my leavinI
the house. and he had been dead tw
hours when returned to my Office.
Ms living then in Chicago. near tn
corner Of State and Sixteenth streets
These were only wife and self ~